UP felicitates living legislators of first assembly

Lucknow, Aug 25 (UNI) In a rare felicitation, the Uttar Pradesh assembly today honoured 15 surviving ex-MLAs, including Uttaranchal chief minister Narain Dutt Tiwari, who were members of the first legislative assembly of Independent India between 1952-57.

In the presence of chief minister Mulayam Singh Yadav, assembly speaker Mata Prasad Pandey feliciated all the 15 MLAs. Mr Yadav also announced a financial aid of Rs one lakh to each of the members.

Uttaranchal chief minister Mr Tiwari called on for united 'Bharat Nirman' and urged that UP and Uttaranchal should make joint foray into development, including power projects.

He also appreciated the UP CM for his effort to control terrorism in the state and said that it was an emotional moment for him to be honoured by the assembly where he started his political career.

Claiming that the Tehri Project would benifit irrigational projects in UP and stressed that both the states should work together for all-round development of the country.

It was for the first time after a long gap that Gandhi caps were seen. Most of the 15 ex-MLAs wore Gandhi caps during fecilitation.

Two of the former MLAs came on wheel chairs.

The function turned emotional when ex-MLA Ramchandra Vikal sang the famous patriotic song ''..Laye hain toofano se kashti nikal ke, is desh ko rakhna mere bachhon sambhal ke...'' Welcoming the MLAs, speaker Mata Prasad Pandey said it was a rare honour for the assembly to fecilitate the surviving 15 MLAs of the first assembly. He also read out details about the first assembly between 1952-57.

Chief minister Mulayam Singh Yadav in his address said he had learnt politics from Mr Tiwari and other MLAs.

He said Uttar Pradesh has made wide contribution in the freedom movement of the country and claimed that it was a historic moment for him to honour these individuals.

Leader of the opposition Lalji Tandon, BSP leader Swami Prasad Maurya, Congress leader Pramod Tiwari and others also spoke on the occasion.

The assembly honoured the ex-MLAs with a potriat and a brief case with two volumes of speeches made by the members in the assembly during 1952-57.

The 15 surviving MLAs of the first assembly are: Kamal Ahmed (Lakhimpur Kheri), Karan Singh (Lakhimpur Kheri), Taj Pratap Singh (Hamirpur), Ramchandra Vikal(Bulandshahr), Veer Sen (Ghaziabad), Virendra Verma(Muzaffarnagar), Srinath Ram (Mau), Harish Chandra Asthana(Sitapur), Kalicharan( Farrukabad), Narain Dutt Tiwari (Nainital-- now in Uttranchal), Nageshwar Dwivedi (Jaunpur), Guru Prasad Singh (Sultanpur), Tula Ram Rawat(Lucknow), Khyali Ram Shastri( Amroha)and Rajeswar Singh (Badaun).

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